and her father had taught her the quirks of
the river. She would go with the current until she felt its
strength weaken, and then break out against it.
Rafael finally spotted her just ahead. The
river was sweeping her away. If he didn’t catch up with her soon,
the river would claim her. His muscles burnt from the force of his
exertion but still he battled the mighty current. His heart pounded
and fear gnawed at his stomach.
Gaby felt the slight change, as if the river
had taken a breath. This was her chance. She wasted no time. She
dipped beneath the surface and began her struggle for the
riverbank.
Rafael saw her go under and the fear that
she was drowning near burst his heart. He submerged and raced
toward her, his powerful arms slicing through the water. He spotted
her and surged forward. As soon as he was able, his arm went around
her waist and he locked her solidly against him.
He brought them to the surface coughing and
sputtering.
“You stupid —” were the only words she could
spit out before they went under once again.
“Stupid?” Rafael managed to yell as they
surfaced once again, his grip on her remaining solid.
Gaby, realizing he wasn’t about to let go,
hooked her arm around his neck, leaving her other arm free to help
swim.
The river carried them along, the current
having gained strength.
“I was doing fine,” she shouted fighting the
rushing water along with him.
“You were drowning,” he yelled back,
surprised that she wasn’t weeping and frightened beyond measure.
Instead, she knew what to do to help him rather than hinder his
rescue attempt.
“ Idiota ,” she yelled.
His grip tightened around her waist. “Call
me that again and I’ll drown you myself.”
The potent anger in his eyes astonished her
but what surprised her even more was that it was laced with fright.
Had he actually been frightened for her?
“I’m sorry,” she breathed near his ear
before the current swallowed them once again.
Rafael was breathless and Gaby was fighting
for air when they surfaced.
“We have to get to shore,” Rafael said
between breaths, “before we reach the bend.”
Gaby nodded. She knew the current worsened
after the bend and their chances of surviving slim.
“Hold tight, querida ,” he urged with
a whispered breath.
She obeyed him this time, clinging so
tightly to him that she felt his hard muscles grow taut as he
warred with the current, demanding it release them. She aided as
best she could, but her meager strength did little, if anything, to
help.
She heard loud screams just seconds after
Rafael did. She turned in that direction and spotted Enrico on the
riverbank a few feet ahead. He held a rope, the other end attached
to the horn of his saddle. He gestured and pointed and Rafael
acknowledged his understanding with a wave.
The bend came into view up ahead. They had
precious little time.
“Wrap your two arms around me and hold
tight.”
Once again she obeyed, burying her face in
the crook of his neck.
In seconds they were jerked to a quick stop
and their bodies spun around as though the current was in a tug of
war with them.
“Hold tight,” Rafael demanded again.
Gaby understood and did as directed. Rafael
had grabbed the rope Enrico had thrown to him and struggled to hold
on to it as the horse fought to bring them to shore. Gaby was
dunked beneath the surface several times and each time she managed
to fight her way up, knowing Rafael was too busy keeping tight rein
on the rope, their only chance of survival.
Finally, they both lay on the grassy
riverbank, still entwined in each other’s arms, their breathing too
labored for them to speak.
Rafael refused to release her just yet.
Besides, her face remained buried in the crook of his neck. Her
full breasts were crushed against his chest, her slim legs tucked
between his thick one and their wet clothes made it feel as though
they lay naked together.
Rafael could not get the thought of her
naked in his arms out of his
the river. She would go with the current until she felt its
strength weaken, and then break out against it.
Rafael finally spotted her just ahead. The
river was sweeping her away. If he didn’t catch up with her soon,
the river would claim her. His muscles burnt from the force of his
exertion but still he battled the mighty current. His heart pounded
and fear gnawed at his stomach.
Gaby felt the slight change, as if the river
had taken a breath. This was her chance. She wasted no time. She
dipped beneath the surface and began her struggle for the
riverbank.
Rafael saw her go under and the fear that
she was drowning near burst his heart. He submerged and raced
toward her, his powerful arms slicing through the water. He spotted
her and surged forward. As soon as he was able, his arm went around
her waist and he locked her solidly against him.
He brought them to the surface coughing and
sputtering.
“You stupid —” were the only words she could
spit out before they went under once again.
“Stupid?” Rafael managed to yell as they
surfaced once again, his grip on her remaining solid.
Gaby, realizing he wasn’t about to let go,
hooked her arm around his neck, leaving her other arm free to help
swim.
The river carried them along, the current
having gained strength.
“I was doing fine,” she shouted fighting the
rushing water along with him.
“You were drowning,” he yelled back,
surprised that she wasn’t weeping and frightened beyond measure.
Instead, she knew what to do to help him rather than hinder his
rescue attempt.
“ Idiota ,” she yelled.
His grip tightened around her waist. “Call
me that again and I’ll drown you myself.”
The potent anger in his eyes astonished her
but what surprised her even more was that it was laced with fright.
Had he actually been frightened for her?
“I’m sorry,” she breathed near his ear
before the current swallowed them once again.
Rafael was breathless and Gaby was fighting
for air when they surfaced.
“We have to get to shore,” Rafael said
between breaths, “before we reach the bend.”
Gaby nodded. She knew the current worsened
after the bend and their chances of surviving slim.
“Hold tight, querida ,” he urged with
a whispered breath.
She obeyed him this time, clinging so
tightly to him that she felt his hard muscles grow taut as he
warred with the current, demanding it release them. She aided as
best she could, but her meager strength did little, if anything, to
help.
She heard loud screams just seconds after
Rafael did. She turned in that direction and spotted Enrico on the
riverbank a few feet ahead. He held a rope, the other end attached
to the horn of his saddle. He gestured and pointed and Rafael
acknowledged his understanding with a wave.
The bend came into view up ahead. They had
precious little time.
“Wrap your two arms around me and hold
tight.”
Once again she obeyed, burying her face in
the crook of his neck.
In seconds they were jerked to a quick stop
and their bodies spun around as though the current was in a tug of
war with them.
“Hold tight,” Rafael demanded again.
Gaby understood and did as directed. Rafael
had grabbed the rope Enrico had thrown to him and struggled to hold
on to it as the horse fought to bring them to shore. Gaby was
dunked beneath the surface several times and each time she managed
to fight her way up, knowing Rafael was too busy keeping tight rein
on the rope, their only chance of survival.
Finally, they both lay on the grassy
riverbank, still entwined in each other’s arms, their breathing too
labored for them to speak.
Rafael refused to release her just yet.
Besides, her face remained buried in the crook of his neck. Her
full breasts were crushed against his chest, her slim legs tucked
between his thick one and their wet clothes made it feel as though
they lay naked together.
Rafael could not get the thought of her
naked in his arms out of his
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